Uzbekistan: Representatives of the Agency for Waste Management and Development of Circular Economy (FAO) and Uzbekistan’s cement industry discussed prospects for using cement kilns to treat certain categories of hazardous waste at a meeting in Tashkent on 23 September 2026. Uzbekistan’s existing capacity for neutralising and permanently disposing of hazardous waste is reportedly limited. However, participants were presented with Azerbaijan’s experience as an example. With FAO support, controlled trials were conducted there to use cement kilns to treat pesticide waste.

A potential pilot project in Uzbekistan would require preliminary work on regulatory requirements, permitting procedures, the availability of necessary infrastructure and sources of financing. In addition, individual cement plants could undergo technical assessments to determine whether they are suitable for participation.

“This roundtable is a first step towards assessing the possibilities, identifying interested cement plants and establishing the technical, regulatory and environmental requirements that would need to be met before any pilot operation could be considered,” said Arthur Shamilov, FAO agriculture specialist and lead technical officer of the project.

A specific list of plants for a potential pilot has not yet been determined. It is also not yet known which types of waste could be treated or in what quantities. Environmental monitoring of such operations remains a separate issue.

Nigeria: Dangote Group is pursuing a US$45bn investment programme to expand its industrial businesses and reach US$100bn in annual revenues by 2030, with Dangote Cement set to be positioned as a ‘key pillar’ of its next growth phase. Specifically the group aims to increase Dangote Cement’s installed cement capacity from 55Mt/yr to more than 80Mt/yr, as part of a strategy it describes as ‘disciplined, self-funded growth whilst delivering on yield.’ Dangote Cement also plans to expand into cement-based adjacencies including aggregates, mortars, dry mixes and ready-mix concrete or precast products.

Dangote Group said that its cement business is reporting strong cash conversion and returns on capital. Its revenues reached US$3.1bn during the 12 months to June 2026, representing a 22% year-on-year increase. The company said that its African footprint would be central to the strategy. Dangote Cement operates across 11 countries and sells into a total of 25. It recorded 3Mt of export sales in 2025.

Taiwan: Government-recognised tourism factories attracted 21.36 million visitors in 2025, generating US$211m in output. The programme was launched in 2003 to help revitalise existing manufacturing sites as industries moved overseas. As of the end of August 2026, Taiwan had 150 factories that had passed the government’s evaluation process.

TCC Group Holding's oopen-ecology plant in Hualien attracted the most visitors in 2025. The site offers a glimpse into a 20-year-old industrial complex, bringing together a cement plant, power plant and industrial port. It offers guided tours and cement-making activities (by reservation only), and some areas are open to the public free of charge. TCC Group Holdings operates the plant on a non-profit basis, with the fees from guided tours, stall rentals at the market, and a fixed percentage of monthly revenue from shops within the park contributing  to the education fund of Heping Elementary School.

Algeria: The Minister of Foreign Trade and Export Promotion, Kamel Rezig, has chaired a meeting with cement producers to assess export performance during the first half of 2026 and to examine ways to strengthen the presence of Algerian cement in international markets. Held at the ministry's headquarters, the meeting was part of ongoing efforts to monitor the performance of various sectors with export capabilities and to support economic operators in boosting the presence of Algerian products in foreign markets.

Rezig emphasised the need to strengthen the presence of the domestic product in African markets - which he described as ‘promising’ - given the competitive advantages enjoyed by the cement sector, which, according to the ministry, include product quality and a large production capacity. The minister also expressed his desire to expand the reach of Algerian cement to new destinations, specifically in Asia, the Americas and the Caribbean.